David Howard Hestand

Well, folks, it appears that I, David Hestand, have set off on my greatest adventure yet. I was just as surprised as you all are when I left this earthly place on Saturday, December 23rd, 2023, but apparently it was my time. As a man who was born in the small town of Luella, Texas, on March 5, 1943, and who later made Ogden, Utah his home, I've always been one for finding joy in the journey.
I was fortunate to have a fulfilling career in law enforcement, rising to the rank of Deputy Chief of Police before retiring in 2007 from Weber State University. But work wasn't all I was about. I was a compassionate man, always ready to lend a helping hand. I also served as the Executive Director of the Western Film Festival and advised the Native American Council at Weber State. After retiring, I found joy in volunteering at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah, a cause close to my heart, and I served on their Board of Directors. These roles allowed me to give back to the community that I loved. And let's not forget my humor. I loved a good joke, and I was always ready with a funny story or a quick quip. As Mark Twain once said, "The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." For me, that "why" was always about the people I loved and the community I served.
What mattered most to me was my beautiful wife, Shelly, my family, and my amazing family of friends. I'm survived by my wife, Shelly, my rock and my partner in crime since 1995, my children DeLana Slone, Tammy (Ken) Robbins, Jennifer (Chris) Cardinelle, Becky Burnell, Angie (Don) Lozon, Paul (Lindsey) Hestand, Todd (Amanda) Hestand, and Shawn Hestand, and my little brother, Jerry (Tammy) Hestand. I was preceded in death by my parents, Glyn and Mary Hestand, and my son, Danny Hestand. I've always believed that life is about collecting moments, not things. So, to my 18 grandkids and 3 great grandkids, remember your funny old granddad as the loving, compassionate, and adventurous spirit I was.
Please join us to celebrate my life, share a laugh, and remember the good times. We'll be at Myers Mortuary in Ogden from 6:00pm to 8:00pm on Friday, December 29, 2023, and again from 9:30am to 10:30 am on Saturday, December 30, 2023. The main event, the Celebration of Life, will be at 11:00am on Saturday, December 30, 2023. As the saying goes, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." I can't wait to see all the smiles and hear all the stories!
In the spirit of sharing, we encourage you to leave memories and upload photos to my memorial page. I'm sure there's a picture or two of me with my trademark grin somewhere on your camera rolls. Can't wait to see them from up here!
In lieu of flowers, I would appreciate it if you would instead make a donation to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah at www.wrcnu.org.
I would like to give a special thank you to my wife, all my doctors, nurses, physical therapists, and especially to Enhabit Home Health & Hospice for taking such great care of me.
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